Mountain Biking Northern Montenegro’s ‘Wild Beauty’

Mountain biking through Northern Montenegro was only part of the agenda when a small group of riders from Austria, England, Holland, France, Germany, and the U.S. gathered June 9 in Podgorica, Montenegro.

The team’s multinational group included mountain biking tour operators and was not only looking to experience first-hand the rugged terrain and meet local people in this southern European and Mediterranean country, but also analyze how adventure tourism might be advanced to support the development of this economy.

The trip was organized by the Montenegro’s Ministry of Tourism and the National Tourism Organization with the support of USAID.
Xola’s Christina Heyniger, working with Solimar International joined the group.

This small country is home to a shocking variety of landscapes – from steep karst mountain trails to expansive meadows of wildflowers, crystal, glacial lakes and bumpy dirt roads endlessly criss-crossing rolling, grassy hills.  The group bunked in a mixture of mountain lodges and small family-run hotels and discovered snow surviving even through the warm months and cold enough to provide refrigeration, water clear and clean enough to drink from the stream, and exceptional, hearty (emphasis on hearty!) meals of fresh vegetables, meats, cheese, yogurt, and honey.   And an urban surprise: even a top-notch jazz band concert at the family-owned Zvono, in Pluzine.

Montenegro’s visitors benefit now from its overall lack of industrialization.   The country is banking that its focus on sustainable adventure tourism development will allow its economy and local people to develop while retaining the culture of the mountain people and the untamed, pure beauty of its wilderness.

To learn more about travel to Montengro see visit-montenegro.com.  Recommended tour operators include Black Mountain and 3E Travel.